Bottlenecks in a Process

Bottlenecks in a Process

When applying Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints to the fitness flow chart, bottlenecking occurs at the exercise stage of the fitness process. Downtime in between exercises can lead to fewer workouts being completed, thus lessening optimal results. This can occur because of a few variable factors such as, occupied machines, more members working out, and broken equipment. With our metric being utilization and cycle time with using equipment at a five minute maximum finding ways to make bottlenecks efficient will keep the workout under its one hour limit.

Exercise Stage Bottlenecking

• Occupied or broken machines

• Increase in members

• Personal motivation to complete workout

Overcoming Exercise Bottlenecking

• Start another exercise (one of ten)

• Find alternative times to workout (mornings, afternoons, evenings)

• Workout partner, or personal trainer

Time Components (time cycles)

• Setup time or finding weights

• Processing time or figuring out which exercise to do

• Queue time or rest in between reps

• Wait time or length of time while switching exercises

• Idle time or time spent not exercising

Per Appendix A, data shows bottlenecks occurred in the beginning of the week Monday and Tuesday with gym members participating on those days regularly. The increase in gym users caused the time to complete exercises to increase to five minutes per workout making utilization of equipment and use of time less than the highest of quality.

Wednesday through Friday there was more equipment available as the number of gym members working out decline. This made the time used on the equipment efficient and time spread equally over nine exercises on Thursday. Friday takes into account unforeseen or self motivational factors and shows only five exercises being completed due to lack of self motivation that stifled that day’s workouts. Goldratts Theory helps to identify the bottlenecks in this flow chart and to maximize efficiency...